Many consumers seek to reduce the amount of refuse they produce, or to reduce their carbon footprint, a measure of the total impact of their lifestyle. One way to reduce refuse and lower carbon footprint is to recycle. In addition, recycling allows customers to save money. These goals can be pursued by not throwing away jars. The re-using of jars as drinking cups allows a customer to save both money and help reduce their carbon footprint.
Owing in part to the increase of the “green” market, and in response to the need for alternatives to the disposable cup or bottle, there has been growing interest in re-usable drinking cups. Aluminum and steel premium water bottles and drinking cups are not a practical alternative because they cost considerably more than disposable cups. Canning jars have a widespread use in households worldwide and they are widely available. The most common class of canning jars is the ubiquitous Mason jar, discussed in John L. Mason's U.S. Pat. Nos. 22,129 and 22,186. Different variations of Mason jars have been used, and the term “Mason jar” has become a name for canning jars.
It would be desirable to have better ways to use jars and other containers for consuming beverages in order to use those jars and containers rather than adding them to refuse, and to save the cost of obtaining durable containers for beverage consumption. The present invention provides such technology by providing lids that can turn a jar, or a range of other containers, into drinking cups.